- Independent mental health service
Cygnet Hospital Harrogate
Assessment report published 20 October 2026
Contents
Ratings - Acute wards for adults of working age and psychiatric intensive care units
Our view of the service
Cygnet Behavioural Health Limited provides acute wards for adults of working age at Cygnet Hospital Harrogate. At the time of the inspection, the service provided treatment and care for individuals detained under the Mental Health Act, or as an informal patient, for males and females who have severe and enduring mental illness. At the time of our inspection there were 14 females admitted to Sanctuary ward and 18 males admitted to Haven ward.
We rated the service as good. The service was previously rated good.
Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act Compliance Summary
Staff completed mandatory training in the Mental Capacity Act (MCA), the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguarding (DoLS), Mental Health Act, the Code of Practice and the guiding principles. The compliance rates were 97% and 95% respectively.
The staff we spoke with had a good understanding of mental capacity and were confident about how to assess it. Staff told us they took all practical steps to enable patients to make their own decisions and provided good examples regarding raising safeguarding concerns.
Patients had easy access to information about independent mental health advocacy. The independent mental health advocate visited patients, when needed.
We reviewed 7 care records and found evidence that people's needs were met in line with current guidance. Capacity assessments were undertaken when appropriate. All detained patients were made aware of their rights and patient restrictions were regularly reviewed to maximise their independence.
Multi-disciplinary team discussions involved the patient and patient's family in decision making and planning care and treatment. The hospital had good governance and compliance audits in place to ensure staff provided evidence-based care and treatment.
People's experience of this service
We spoke with 11 patients who used the service as part of our inspection and observed patients using the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI).
All patients we spoke with, apart from one, reported feeling safe on the ward, although it was busy. They agreed food was of a high standard, and one commented it was ‘on point and the staff will show concern if you are not eating’. One patient stated that they had ‘been in lots of hospitals, but this is the best’ whilst another said that this ‘was the best hospital’ they had been in out of the 5 in which they had been an inpatient. Patients gave positive feedback for the activities and the co-ordinators.
We spoke with 4 relatives who had not reported any concerns about their loved one’s safety and told us that staff knew how to look after them. They also stated that they knew how to raise concerns if needed.